Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2008-09: Erik Gustafsson skated in 40 games for Northern Michigan as a sophomore. He scored 4 goals with a team-high 30 assists and was +21 with 10 PMs for the Huskies, who finished sixth in the CCHA.

2009-10: Registered 3 goals, 29 points, and 26 penalty minutes in 39 games. He also served as team captain for the Wildcats. Was named CCHA top offensive defenseman for a second year in a row. At the conclusion of his junior season, Gustafsson signed an entry-level deal with the Philadelphia Flyers. The defenseman was then assigned to the AHL where he posted 2 goals and 5 assists in 5 games for the Adirondack Phantoms.

2010-11: Gustafsson made his NHL debut with the Flyers in February, appeared in two games later in the season and was the second-leading scorer for Philadelphia's AHL affiliate Adirondack. Gustafsson skated over 16 minutes in his NHL debut and averaged just over 8 minutes in two other appearances. He finished -1 with 4 PMs for the Flyers. In 72 AHL games he scored 5 goals with a team-leading 44 assists and was -5 as the Phantoms failed to reach the playoffs.

2011-12: Gustafsson shuffled between the Flyers and their AHL affiliate Adirondack in his second pro season. He scored 1 goal with 4 assists and was plus-12 with 2 penalty minutes; averaging 16:47 minutes of ice time in 30 games for the Flyers. He played in seven playoff games; scoring a goal in the series-clinching Game 5 in the first round against Pittsburgh and finishing the playoffs plus-four with 1 assist and 2 penalty minutes. Gustaffson had an even plus/minus in 28 games for Adirondack and scored 1 goal with 16 assists and had 14 penalty minutes.

A disappointing 2012-13 season for the Flyers has left an awkward situation in Philadelphia heading into the offseason. The struggles of the team seem to go hand-in-hand with the struggles of goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. Meanwhile, former Flyers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky recently won a Vezina Trophy with the Columbus Blue Jackets, less than a year removed from being traded out of Philadelphia.

Photo: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Oliver Lauridsen had a solid showing in his 15-game call-up to the NHL this season. (courtesy of Jerome Davis/Icon SMI)

The prospect pool for the Philadelphia Flyers is consistently one of the more diminished gatherings of young talent every year, but they rarely miss on top-end talent when given the opportunity to acquire it. Because of their lack of picks and their aggressive style of team-building, it is far more important for the organization to consistently hit on their high draft picks as well as attract some of the better free agent prospects on the market every year.

Photo: Center Scott Laughton is currently the only Philadelphia Flyers prospect to have been drafted in the first round. (courtesy of Terry Wilson/OHL Images)

While the Philadelphia Flyers have not had the most dazzling prospect pool in recent NHL memory, they have had a steady amount of success from the top of their ranks. While consistently trading away first and second round picks does not provide the steadiest foundation from which to build an organization, the Flyers have had almost astonishing success making trades for high-end players who are just hitting their developmental stride.

Photo: Nail Yakupov, shown here celebrating a late game-tying goal against Los Angeles in January, takes over the top spot in the Oilers mid-season Top 20 ranking (courtesy of Chris Austin/Icon SMI)

The Edmonton Oilers Spring Top 20 saw very little movement in the top 10 ranks while the bottom 10 prospects were shuffled more drastically. The top 10 features a number of highly skilled prospects who are either currently filling regular spots on the Oilers' roster such as Nail Yakupov and Justin Schultz or are looking slated to do so in the future.

Photo: Forward Tye McGinn has been one of the more pleasant surprises for the Philadelphia Flyers this season. McGinn has played in 16 NHL games with the Flyers. (courtesy of Nick Turchiaro/Icon SMI)

The Phantoms' franchise, even before it moved to Glens Falls to become the Adirondack Phantoms, has been in a state of struggle underneath a successful NHL franchise. This comes despite a large amount of success from drafted prospects. The Phantoms have not really been successful since winning the Calder Cup during the NHL lockout year of 2004-05. Two early exits from the postseason over the course of what will be seven seasons of hockey does not suggest a steady foundation of prospects on which to build an NHL franchise.